He Is Needed
by SilverySparks
Summary: Even's past comes back to haunt him, and threatens to affect Isak too. Even is not going to let that happen. Even's perspective on the events in the season 4 trailer


Isak doesn't see him enter the club. He wouldn't have noticed him at all if Sana's eyes hadn't slid off his face to focus on something behind him, if she hadn't stopped laughing at his last remark to calmly state, 'You're needed.'

He turns around and his eyes settle on their target almost automatically. There he is, motionless, looking almost surreal in his plain white T-shirt amidst all the people dancing and laughing in bright party clothes. Their eyes meet across the room, and Isak knows.

Sana is right. He's needed.

Isak doesn't know. Even sees it in the way he looks at him as he comes over, leaving Sana alone on the dancefloor. Open, warm, more than a little worried – he wouldn't look like that if they had gotten to him already. Even knows he should feel relieved, but he doesn't quite manage it.

This means he'll have to be the one to tell him.

He could do it later, of course. Make up an excuse and get Isak out of here, away from the group of boys in the corner who really mustn't know that Even is here. He could take Isak home, cover his ears, make him forget all about his phone and any the other ways they could reach him. He could lie in bed and close the curtains and build a universe just for the two of them, where the past doesn't come to haunt him and Isak can live in blissful ignorance for a little while longer.

There's nothing Even longs for more at this moment, but he knows it's no good. He can't keep the knowledge from Isak forever, and truth be told he's already been putting this off for far too long. After all, they wouldn't even be in this situation if Even had opened up to him just a little sooner.

No. It is time.

Isak has finally reached him, and Even greets him by putting a hand on his waist and laying his lips gently on those of his boyfriend.

'Halla,' Isak murmurs, running a hand through Even's hair and letting it rest on his neck as he looks up at him, brown eyes displaying just the right mixture of encouragement, compassion and trust. He thinks Even isn't feeling well, which is also why he didn't come to the party in the first place.

It's not a lie, exactly. Even is definitely not having the best of weeks, but for once it's not due to his mental illness. Not directly.

Isak doesn't speak but waits patiently, his thumb tracing tiny circles on Even's cheek. As always in situations like these, he takes his cues from Even; a quiet offer of support without a hint of patronizing or judgement.

This is what Even loves him for. One of the thousand reasons.

'I need to tell you something,' he starts, then suddenly there's pain and something warm runs out of his nose and his head is swimming a little. But all of that fades from his mind as Isak moves to put a steadying hand on his chest, because over his shoulder Even catches sight of the corner on the other side of the room – empty, since its former occupants are now slowly making their way across the dancefloor.

They've seen him.

The weight that has been lying on his shoulders for so long seems to multiply in an instant and Even lets his knees buckle under it, ducking out of sight as waves of dread and guilt and shame crash over his head.

If they get to Isak before Even can tell him –

If Isak doesn't hear his account of the matter first –

If he loses Isak –

 _If they break Isak –_

Even takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He can feel Isak's supporting arm around his shoulders, Isak's warm breath on his cheek, Isak's forehead against his own.

Isak is comfort. Isak is _his_.

He is not going to let them take Isak from him.

'I'm fine,' he says in reply to the boy's stream of worried questions, finally looking up to meet his boyfriend's eyes. 'It's only bleeding so much because it's the nose. Let's get out of here.'

Isak scrutinizes him for a moment before nodding slowly, the concern not leaving his eyes. 'Let's go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up,' he says quietly. 'And then you can tell me what's going on.'

'Deal,' Even says and straightens up carefully, breaking his and Isak's little bubble and looking around.

The dancefloor is in chaos. It looks like Even wasn't the only one taken down; Eva is also on the ground and a number of other people are slipping and sliding and fighting for balance while Vilde and Noora are crawling around between everyone's feet, shouting something about pearls.

Just one person doesn't seem affected by the mayhem. Like a rock in a stormy ocean, Sana stands calmly on the other side of the room. Their eyes meet, and she gives him a small smile that says, _You're welcome._ Then she raises an eyebrow and nods in the direction of the door. _Now go._

Even looks at her for another moment, then he grabs Isak's hand.

He doesn't need to be told twice.


End file.
